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The Sorcerer's Apprentice/Transcript
This is the transcript of the eponymous film which released in 2010. Transcript Prologue *(The film opens with Balthazar and Veronica riding their respective horse in the night with torches to illuminate their surroundings as their image is overlapped by the Encantus rendition of Merlin and his three apprentices.) *'Narrator': The war between sorcerers was fought in the shadows of history and the fate of mankind rested with the just and powerful Merlin. He taught his secrets to three trusted apprentices; Balthazar, Veronica, and Horvath. He should have trusted only two. *(Arriving at their destination, Balthazar and Veronica see it littered with fallen knights and sorcerers alike, before the scene shifts to remaining knights rushed upstairs only to be incinerated by a horrific blast of fire which revealed to be conjured from Morgana le Fay's fingertips.) *'Narrator': Veronica and Balthazar witnessed the savagery of a sorcerer beyond evil, Morgana le Fay, Merlin's most deadly enemy. *(Morgana enters Merlin's chamber which seemingly empty, oblivious to the great sorcerer has expecting her. While maintaining his cover, he opened his fingers, prompting nearby braziers to coil around Morgana's arms, restraining her. Merlin jumps from the hiding with sword at hand. Morgana on the hand, cuts both braziers with focused heat, before using both as improvised twin foils to fight the great sorcerer. An intense duel ensues as Balthazar and Veronica search for survivors inside the Stronghold. The duel culminated to Merlin cornered Morgana at a pillar and seemingly failed to deliver a final blow due to the sword knocks nearby wall instead — a distraction for Morgana not to notice her hands magically fuse into the pillar itself.) *'Merlin': We are but servants. *'Horvath': (enters the chamber and greets his mentor) Merlin. *'Merlin': Horvath! (Horvath casts the Disperse Spell with his enchanted Sword, freeing Morgana le Fay while Merlin is distracted) You betray me? *'Morgana': (fatally stabs Merlin on the torso) I am no one's servant. (letting Merlin fell as she rids of her improvised foils and turns on Horvath) Well done. Now get the spell. *'Narrator': (as Morgana and Horvath make their leave, with the former tears a page about The Rising's schematics off Merlin's Encantus along the way) And so it was. Morgana gained sorcery's most dangerous spell known as "The Rising," giving Morgana the power to raise an army of the dead and enslave mankind. *(Back to Balthazar and Veronica, the two has split up to cover more ground, only for the former got ambushed by Morgana le Fay. Seeing her boyfriend at the dark enchantress' mercy as the latter is about to bombard him with Plasma Bolts, Veronica magically binds Morgana's body via the Human Fusion Spell, before gesturing her hands at herself, and then at Morgana. The horrified Balthazar watches as Morgana had her soul painfully absorbed into Veronica's body, with her husk disintegrates off-screen.) *'Narrator' Veronica sacrificed herself for Balthazar by drawing Morgana's soul into her own body. (Morgana's soul begins to choke Veronica on the throat from the inside, attempting to take over her host) But Morgana began to kill her from the inside. (Balthazar reluctantly uses the Grimhold's innermost layer to seal Veronica just as her eyes changed into Morgana's) To save Veronica's life and to capture Morgana, Balthazar trapped them both in the Grimhold, an inescapable prison. (the scene shifts to several images of outermost layers of Grimhold each with medieval rendition of their respective prisoner; Abigail Williams' layer is a brown one whereas Sun Lok and Maxim Horvath's yellow and red ones respectively) Over time, Balthazar fought many sorcerers who tried to free Morgana, trapping them in layer upon layer of the doll. Eventually, he captured Horvath as well. (the scene shifts one again, this time showing the dying Merlin with Balthazar on his side)As Merlin lay dying, he gave Balthazar his Dragon Ring, saying it would guide him to the child who would one day grow to be Merlin's successor, the Prime Merlinean. *'Merlin': The Prime Merlinean is the only one who can kill Morgana. *'Narrator': Balthazar would search for centuries. (we then presented to montages of Balthazar's search prior to his arrival at New York City, starting at Africa. Posing as a wanderer, he met a tribal child whom hands not causing the Dragon to react. He then continues his search to other parts of the world, including at India (where he poses as a doctor while having random intriguing children checking on the Ring), and Russia (?) (as a teacher who gently pats a boy on the hair when the Ring doesn't react to his touch). The Dragon Ring is then shown on his hand as the image shifts to its Encantus rendition) And never, it is said, will Balthazar waver from his quest, for mankind will never be safe until Morgana is destroyed by the Prime Merlinean. Arcana Cabana *(A Buzz Lightyear-themed alarm clock rings as it shows that it's already 07.00. The young Dave awakes and turns it off, surprised to see puppy Tank licking him up.) *'Dave': Hey, Tank. How did you even get up here? *'Dave's Mom': David? Field trip today. Don't forget to wear clean underwear. *'Dave': (as puppy Tank continues licking him) She means me, not you. *(We are presented with the scenery of New York City in the year of 2000. The camera pans to a school bus Dave is on board as it moves through Manhattan Bridge. Kids chattering and on their own business as Dave draws a doodle of King Kong on the bus window.) *'Unnamed Boy': (noticing what Dave is doing while eating ice cream) You're not supposed to be doing that, Dave. *'Dave': Now! (as if that was a cue, his King Kong doodle on the bus window overlaps empire state building on the distance, much to Becky's amazement) *'Becky': David. That's cool. *(Dave and Becky share a brief heartfelt smile before turning their gaze away. As Dave revels in his success, the amused unnamed boy gives a thumbs up. The journey goes smoothly as the kids later arrived at a park not far from the bridge with their teacher, Ms. Algar, begins her lecture about surrounding area's history.) *'Mrs.Algar': ...which means that before Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty were built... *'Dave': (writes a question note which he passes to his classmate beside him) Pass it to Becky. *'Classmate # 1': Pass it on. (passes the question note) *'Classmate # 2': Pass it on. (passes the question note) *'Classmate # 3': Pass it to Becky. (passes the question note) *'Classmate # 4c': Here. (gives the question note to Becky) *(Becky sees the note, which says, "Check One: I would like to be David's: #Friend #Girlfriend. She looks at Dave with a puzzled look as the boy smiles in anticipation. Unnamed boy also looks at Becky, waiting whether this will work out. Nevertheless, the girl checks an answer and about to pass the note only for everyone got on their feet due to their ferry had just arrived. So instead, she put the note near a post light for Dave to retrive.) *'Ms. Algar': Let's go. Get on the ferry. Get your bags. Stay close. Here we go. *'Dave': (Reaches for the note only for it to be carried by the wind) Hey, stop! (rushes for the paper which then stuck in someone's bike as he ride away, much to his unnamed friend's chagrin. The man notices the note and casted it aside, which then inadvertently plastered on a bulldog's feet as the dog stepped on it) Excuse me, excuse me. (shoving two pedestrians aside to see the dog's owner notices his paper and tossed it away in disgust) No! No, lady, don't! (Dave continues the chase past the dark alley of New York full of papers and litter for the flying note, which brings him to a small shop, Arcana Cabana. Looking at the ominous shop, he notices his note got stuck in its door's mail slot. He rushes for reaching it only for the note got sucked into the building. After debating what to do, Dave enters the shop despite not having any appointment as he needs his question note back.) *(Entering Arcana Cabana, the shop turns out true to its namesake; it is full of eclectic mix of goods from floor to ceiling, everything from mummies to animal skins, and every other type of strange antique and other artifacts that could possibly exist in the world, including occult ones. What caught Dave's attention however, is an Arabian lamp resembling one which seals a genie in ''Aladdin, one of most popular stories of One Thousand and One Nights which received many adaptations, including it's Disney one.) *'Dave': No way. (''begins to rub the lamp before lifting it, only for the metal plate and other item placed beside it to fall and topple the next, creating a domino-like chain reaction which culminated to an ominous-looking urn called the the Grimlock almost fall on Dave until a hand stop it. The boy looks up and sees the store's proprietor, a shady-looking man with trench coat, Balthazar Blake.) *'Balthazar': (about the urn) The second emperor of the Han dynasty locked his least-favorite wife in this urn for 10 years to the day. They say you open it up, the same thing will happen to you. *'Dave': I'm sorry. I'm looking for this note. Have you seen it? It kind of just blew into your store. *'Balthazar': (walks towards the counter) A note? *'Dave': It blew into your store. It was just a... *'Balthazar': ...coincidence? *'Dave': Yeah, it was just a coincidence. *'Balthazar': (sensing something in this turn of events, he comes up with an idea in mind) I have something I'd like to show you, Dave. *'Dave': (puzzled) How'd you know my name was Dave? *'Balthazar': 'Cause I can read minds! (a beat later) It's on your backpack. (as the initially shocked Dave awkwardly checking his back for his name tag, Balthazar goes for one of the store's cabinet and gestured Dave to go for him) Come over here. *(Following the eccentric proprietor to the store's counter, Dave sees Balthazar pulling out a slender mahogany box from a drawer. He opened the box to reveal a small metal dragon figurine within. The figurine has intricate design along with a green gem embedded on the back.) *'Balthazar': (referring the dragon figurine) This is very special and if it likes you, you can keep it. *'Dave': (briefly tempted, but eventually reconsider) I better not. My teacher said I couldn't be gone for long. She knows I'm here. *'Balthazar': You're a bad liar, Dave. That's good. *'Dave': (surprised and uneasy that the man saw through his polite yet poor excuse, turns away and steps for the door only for it to close on its own) Oh, boy. (realizing he had little to no choice, returns to the counter and takes the dragon. To his surprise, it comes to life with a shook of its head before proceeding to climb its way for his index finger and wraps its tail around as the figurine turns into its true form; Merlin's Dragon Ring. As Balthazar sighed in relief that he has found his late mentor's heir) No way. *'Balthazar': (with a delighted yet mysterious looking smile) I have been searching a very long time. (gently holds Dave's shoulders) Magically, here you are. That ring on your finger means something, Dave. It means you're going to be a very important sorcerer one day. And your first lesson begins right now with your very own Encantus. (gestures as he says the next line) Do not move, do not touch anything. *(The excited Balthazar calmly rushes downstairs for Encantus through the stairs on the back of the store. As he parted a section of the brick wall beneath the same stairs with a wave of his hands, the curious Dave examines the Dragon Ring when he heard a banging noise coming from the wall behind the counter. Noticing the bang becomes louder the more he gestures his hand with the ring onto certain direction, the boy tests the theory with repeated moves. Curiosity overtakes Dave as he pulls his hand with a jolt, causing something to burst out of the wall and lands in front of him. Just as Balthazar opens the parted wall to reach the Encantus, a magical tome covered with spider webs and dust, Dave picks up the strange object he just summoned by accident, the marythoska-like Grimhold with red outer layer depicting a man dressing in 1930s gangster outfit complete with a bowler hat. Unknown to the boy, his latent yet raw magic potential somehow cracked the doll open with a trail of small fiery burst through the ring, startling him that he dropped the Grimhold at once. This is the least of his surprise however, as swarms of large cockroaches swarm its way out of the doll's outer layer.) *'Dave': No way. (watches as the swarm gather to form the man who depicted on the outer layer of the Grimhold he unintentionally unlocked. The still-forming man, Horvath, takes a small step forward before gasped upon the air after being trapped for so long. His restoration completes with the last roach crawled into his mouth to form the remaining missing piece which presumably his tongue, as he reaches for it to see whether it is there.). *'Horvath': (after a beat) When am I? *'Dave': (nervous) New York City. *'Horvath': Not where. The year. You are wasting my time. (raises his glowing cane, which bears his enchanted sword's crystal pommel as its head — the sword has been transfigured into its current form arguably to adapt with modern era and avoiding unwanted attention sometime prior to his imprisonment.) *'Balthazar': (blasted Horvath offscreen with a concussive blast of air, sending him flying before telekinetically pinned him to the store's glass ceiling. Appears with the Encantus with one hand while another, which has his crystal magic ring, raised to keep his former comrade in place above) What happened to "don't touch anything"? *'Horvath': That's not very sporting of you, Balthazar. *'Balthazar': Be quiet. (to Dave) It's not you. He's been like this for 1,000 years. I'll explain later. I need the Grimhold. Where's that doll? *'Dave': (points as the fallen Grimhold, prompting Balthazar to reach it) *(A bad mistake. Horvath reaches for his staff as soon as Balthazar lowered his guard before projected an air blast which sends him flying out of the doll's reach. Dave covers his ears as Horvath fell, no longer suspended by Balthazar's telekinetic force. Returning on his feet, Horvath magically shoves a nearby cupboard to pin his recovering nemesis from the distance without breaking a sweat. Before he could reach the doll however, Balthazar blasted the cupboard into pieces as he tackles Horvath away from it. Engaging in a physical combat, the former pushes the latter against nearby glass case with enough force to shatter it. Horvath retaliates by firing a plasma bolt from point-blank range only to hit the fence on the second floor. As Dave picks up the Grimhold, which outer layer depicts Sun Lok in medieval rendering, Balthazar and Horvath's physical brawl culminated with them dangerously project air blast against one another in point-blank range, violently sending them apart) *'Horvath': (telekinetically lifts a nearby ornate foil and sending it towards Balthazar, all while manipulating it in the manner as if the weapon is wielded by an invisible swordsman puppet to fight with through his staff that acts as the puppet's string) I'll have that doll! *(breaking a long horn off a nearby unicorn skull model, Balthazar uses it as a makeshift sword to parry the foil's assaults like an expert swordsman. Yet he can only hold for so long until Horvath gains an upper hand which prompts him to use a nearby wooden shield to protect himself against the final blow shortly after his nemesis disarmed him. Fortunately, the foil got stuck on the shield just as it nearly punctured his skull, allowing Balthazar to raise the shield, yanking Horvath's telekinetic tether over the foil and caused him to knock himself with his own staff that he loses his balance and fell. In the process, he inadvertently knocked the Grimlock nearby along with a jar full of harmless liquid which contents spilled all over Dave's crotch. With Horvath disoriented, Balthazar forms a supercharged plasma bolt from his palms before hurls it upon him, yet the former Merlinean managed to evade at the last moments, causing it to struck a nearby knight armor model instead. Horvath returns fire by absorbing some amounts of flames from nearby fireplace into his blazing fingers. Balthazar jumps for the cover as Horvath hurls two fireballs on his hiding spot before finishing it with a swipe of fiery stream, before turning on the terrified Dave.) *'Horvath': (with his remaining flames still on his fingers) I want that doll. *'Balthazar': (jumping out of the blazing inferno, tackles the former Merlinean and opens the fallen Grimlock) Leave, Dave! Leave now! (putting his and Horvath's hands into the magical urn as it sucks things, reducing themselves into ashes that it sucks) *(Dave runs out of the shop and tossed the Grimhold away in fear before bumps into Mrs. Algar and his classmates.) *'Ms. Algar': David Stutler! Don't ever leave your... *'Dave': There's... these crazy wizard guys in there! They're made of roaches! (frustrated Ms. Algar rolls her eyes as she close in for the shop) No! Don't go in there! The store's on fire! Don't go in! Those guys are... (sees the shop devoid of anyone with the fire somehow ceased with little to no traces) *'Ms. Algar': You really shouldn't tell stories. Let's go. *'Bully # 1': (noticing his wet pants and jeers, prompting everyone to laugh) Ew! He peed his pants! *'Dave': A jar broke. It's just water! There was a fire! *'Bully # 2': (rolls his eyes) Yeah, Stutler had a leak. *'Bully # 3': (equally irritated) He's such a geek. *(with that, the bullies goes all out in jeering the humiliated Dave in unison, provoking all kids except the saddened Becky to follow in suit that Ms. Algar barely able to contain the situation. Unknown to the, the Grimlock now has addition in form of Horvath and Balthazar among image of tortured soul in its surface which, unlike theirs, purely aesthetics instead of other prisoners.) 10 Years Later *(Ten years later to the day, an alarm clock rings as it shows that it's already 07.00. The now young adult Dave groggily turned the clock off as he awakes) *'Dave': Good morning. What is that? Oh, right. (turning off the same alarm on his wristwatch he wears in case of the alarm clock failed him and greets his now adult bulldog Tank) Good morning, beautiful. *'Bennet': (throws Dave a present as the latter opens the refrigerator and reaches for a bottle of juice) Hey, heads up. *'Dave': (catches the small present) Oh. *'Bennet': Happy Birthday! *'Dave': Thank you, Bennet. *'Bennet': (as Dave sits join him for breakfast) You're up early. *'Dave': Professor Heiderman wants me to give a presentation to his Physics 101 class. *'Bennet': What? Teaching long division to English majors? *'Dave': I know. It's like the Peace Corps, but it's Heiderman's class. *'Bennet': Hey, Bio nerds are getting drunk tonight. (squee) And we invited cheerleaders from Princeton. *'Dave': Oh. So, there's smart cheerleaders. (opens his drawer to reach one of his pair of socks. The Dragon Ring is revealed to be inside) *'Bennet': So, seriously, you're saying you don't want to go out on your birthday? *'Dave': I got to finish my Tesla Coils project if I want to graduate. *'Bennet': (nods in dismay, before suddenly having an idea) Dave, are you familiar with the gray wolf? (walks towards the refrigerator for a calendar tacked to its lid via. magnet) *'Dave': (dismayed groan) Oh, no, please, Bennet. Not this again with the gray wolf. I can't... *'Bennet': (showing the calendar's current animal month: Gray wolves) The gray wolf is a pack animal. He must find a mate. He must hunt and grunt. He must participate! You're going to get booted out of the pack! Alone. Eaten by a hungry bear. *'Dave': (taking the statement into consideration) That's a real pick-me-up pep talk, and I'm ready to go get the day. *(The scene shifts to a class in New York University as Dave completed a set of tesla coil ready for an oncoming demonstration. Before he could begin, some students who arrived late due to the rain enter, inadvertently allow cold wind from the outside blowing away Dave's papers, much to the science nerd's dismay.) *'Dave': No, no. (sighed as he recovers the scattered papers) Oh, man. (goes for the last paper which landed on a female student's leg) *'Female Student': Everything okay down there? *'Dave': (raises his head before gasped - his eyes inadvertently set on the girl's lap before awkwardly standing up and looking at her eyes to avoid unwanted misunderstanding and points on his papers) I-I should just leave, right? *'Female Student': Right. *'Dave': (turning away before realizing what he overlooked in the beautiful yet familiar female student. Turning his gaze back to the girl, Dave realized that the girl and his childhood crush might be the same person before tentatively asked to make sure) Wait. I'm sorry. Becky? *'Becky': Becky Barnes. *'Dave': (with a smile in hopes of her recognizing him further) Dave! We were in fourth grade together. *'Becky': I do know you. (finally recognizing him) Dave Stutler, right? *'Dave': That's me. *'Becky': Yeah. You're that kid. What was that place called? Arcana... *'Dave': (with a slight discomfort over the memory) Arcana Cabana? *'Becky': Yeah. (nods) So, did you transfer? *'Dave': Yeah, I did. And got um… Some help. Treatment. *'Becky': Yes, that was weird. *'Dave': Yeah. You know what? It turns out it's just a glucose imbalance. Hallucinations? Not uncommon in young subjects. *'Becky': Ah... right. *'Becky': It's a great anecdote. *(Later that day, the Grimlock, which revealed to have been in the possession of a Russian Couple sometime prior to the present day. With its magical hold over its prisoners within Balthazar and Horvath weakens as it now about to reach its ten years deadline, the urn begins to shake, disturbing the Russian husband. Back at New York University, Dave rushes to catch up with Becky as the class ends.) *'Dave': Hey, Becky. Becky? Hey, Becky? (unfolds his umbrella to protect Becky from the rain) So how are you enjoying Physics 101? *'Becky': My… My brain just does not think physics. *'Dave': So, what does it think, then? *'Becky': Uh, music, mostly. (shows Dave the radio station she worked at) So, this is me. *'Dave': Whoa, oh my! You work at the radio station? *'Becky': Yeah, I do an afternoon show. *'Dave': Are you kidding me? That's so cool! *'Becky': (sheepishly) Oh, it's just college radio. Like, seven people listen to it. *'Dave': Oh, no, I'll be listening. That's one more. You can round it up to eight. *(As they about to enter the building, Dave and Becky are shocked to see the lighting strikes the radio station's antenna.) *'Becky': I think that's our antenna! (rushes in with Dave on her side to see her fellow crewmembers, including Andre Dunlap who struggle to save the oncoming show) What's going on? *'Andre': Hey, gorgeous. The whole mixer is toast, and Freddy called in sick. *'Dave': (coughs to bring everyone's attention) Sorry to bother you. Where does your engineer keep his equipment? *'Andre': Who's this guy? *(We then see Dave begins his work on the transmitter with a portable spectrum analyzer connected to its antenna port. A while later, he concludes the problem in the transmitter which he confirmed still operational despite affected by the lightning.) *'Dave': So, the good news is you're still transmitting. The bad news is your return loss, way too high. (Andre and Becky simply dumbfounded, the subject is obviously convoluted for them that he continues pressing on spectrum analyzer's buttons) All right, if I know what I'm doing, we should be good! (with final few taps, the transmitter goes operational once again, much to the two's joy with the excited Andre goes for the rest of the crew in the radio station) Yes! *'Becky': Thank you. *'Dave': No, please, it was my pleasure. I could tell this is all pretty important for you. *'Becky': My show is the one thing that... Well, you know. *'Dave': Mmm-hmm. (nods before pointing to himself) Physics. That's my thing. (after an awkward silence as he prepares to make his leave) I'll see you around. *(Moments later at his lab, Dave continues giving some final touches on a machine connected with four tesla coils of different shapes and sizes as the dismayed Bennet watches – said machine has what appeared to be three coils on the top.) *'Bennet': You didn't ask her out! You just fixed her antenna and you left. *'Dave': That's not the point. She will remember me. *'Dave': (unimpressed) "She will remember me"? Who are you? Braveheart? Bennet, I blew my shot at getting this girl 10 years ago. I can't do it again. Now get out of here before you get electrocuted. *(Shortly afterwards, Dave turns on the radio to hear Becky's latest show as he about to begin his experiment, which gives him an idea how to start it) *'Becky': (from the radio)... and it's a miracle we made it on the air tonight. This show may not matter, but the music does. This is Becky Barnes, WNYU Radio, hoping there's music all around you. *(Activating a program in his laptop as Becky plays "Secrets" by One Republic, Dave watches as it records the song and transmits it into his tesla coils' programming at the same time, causing them to project plasma from one another in a manner where the produced soundwaves beautifully match the music in the said song. Watching the results in satisfaction, the results in satisfaction, it's revealed that Dave do have better plan with Becky in mind than asking her for a simple date.) Horvath's Revenge *(Back to the Russian couple, we see them arguing over the shaking Grimlock, oblivious to what the seemingly unassuming urn has stored for them.) *'Russian husband': I don't understand. Why did you have to buy this piece of junk? *'Russian wife': Junk? It's an antique! *'Russian husband': Antique? It's a piece of junk from a flea market! *(As if Russian husband's statement was a cue, the Grimlock pops open, spewing forth black gleaming dust which then coalesce into one of the urn's prisoners, Horvath, with the bewildered couple look on in disbelief. The former Merlinean puts his hat on as the process is completed.) *'Horvath': (breathes a bit of black dust) Am I the first one out? (the Russian wife faints while her dumbfounded husband simply standing there, too speechless to say anything) That's a yes. (lifts the Grimlock with both hands while holding his staff on the right one at the same time so he can telekinetically open the nearest window) Our 10 years are up, Balthazar. When I get the Grimhold from young David, I'll tell him you said hello. (hurls the magical urn into the street stories below) Cheerio, Balthazar! *(As Horvath turns away with the Grimlock tumbling down along side of the building, the urn spewed forth its last prisoner, Balthazar, who materializes in a jet of gleaming black dust like his former comrade did. Hastily crawling his way out of the urn, the Merlinean managed to reach for the side of the building, leaving it shattered into pieces on the sidewalk, startling pedestrians below. Exiting the same building as baffled pedestrians gather around what was left of the Grimlock, Balthazar gazes upon the Chrysler Building few blocks away. Entering the building's sixty-first floor, the Merlinean reaches for a nearby steel eagle gargoyle with his glowing ring. Mana ripples the air as a spell fills the gargoyle through his hand from his ring.) *(Meanwhile, Dave, who had just returned home, turned on the nightlamp and about to open the refrigerator for a soda when he notices someone had attached one of his reports from junior school, the one about the life of Napoleon. The B- grade was circled. Confused, he soon startled by a deep voice spoke from shadows nearby, prompting him to see Horvath already waiting for him, sitting at one of his chairs) *'Horvath': I thought B- was generous. I've recently been released from a 10-year sentence, during which the only reading material available to me was your so-called report on Napoleon Bonaparte from your school bag. (Dave looks back at the aforementioned report) Your analysis was obvious; your prose was weak. *'Dave': I was nine. *'Horvath': (dismissive) Irrelevant. Where's the Grimhold? That doll you took from the shop. The doll held something very powerful. Something very important to me. You had it last. I want it back. *'Dave': (agitated upon sensing Horvath's patience growing thin by every second) Listen, I'm... I threw it in the street. *'Horvath': (standing up) Where's the Grimhold? *'Dave': It's been a long time. I don't actually know where it is. *'Horvath': (telekinetically pulling a nearby kitchen knife to his free hand and threatens Dave with it) I'll cut the truth out of you. (stops to take his time admiring the picture of wolves in Dave's calendar at the desk while the science nerd flees, but not before comically crashed into the door he came from. The picture gives the former Merlinean an idea) Sweet. (magically animates the picture into a real pack of wolves in a flash of light off-screen, prompting Dave to look back at the door for his apartment before being greeted by the sight of same wolves pouring out of said door) Get him! *'Dave': Wolves? No, no, no, no. (shutting the front door firmly behind him before rushes for the sidewalk in hopes of putting some distance with his pursuer. To his dismay, one of his oblivious neighbors just come home and opened the door, allowing the wolves to continue chasing him) Oh! (sprints towards the MTA line and clumsily scans his ATM card over the revolving gate's scanner to no avail until succeeds in the third attempt) Thank you! (walking past the gate and shudders in relief upon seeing the wolves not able to follow him that way.) *(Horvath catches up with his summons while using magic to open the doors and bypassed the revolving gate without damaging them along the way. Aware with this, the science nerd knows he had to hide somewhere, and choose the underneath of the platform, right near the train lines hoping the smell of the train and oils would throw off his pursuers.) *'Dave': Man, oh, man, oh, man, oh, man. (dismayed by the sight of one of the wolves spotted him as he didn't account of them scatter throughout different corners of the area) No, no, no. (wolves converge upon him all at once upon being alarmed by one of their own) Oh, no! *'Horvath': (sees Dave got tripped and landed hard on his back as a cue) Kill him. *'Dave': (raises his arms in a vain attempt to stave what will be their oncoming mauling with his eyes closed) No! (screams as they land over him only to feel the wolves unusually lighter and not attacked him as expected — to his surprise, they have somehow transformed into adorable puppies) Puppies? (bewildered as much as Horvath while gently lifts two of them. Suddenly, a giant metallic wing tackles the Morganian into the train lines as Dave looks up to see its owner, a giant steel eagle twice the size of a small car) Oh, my. (the eagle lands before Dave while eyeing on him as if to see whether he is unharmed) No way. *'Balthazar': (revealing himself on top of the majestic metal beast) Where's the doll, Dave? *'Dave': (points as the recovered Horvath who casts what appeared to be a plasma bolt aimed at Balthazar) Um… uh... Him, him, him, him, him, him! *'Balthazar': (conjures a blob of ectoplasm infused with a temporal-displacement spell at Horvath, slowing him down to one-twentieth of his normal speed as a train approaches from distance) All right, get up here. Now! Now! Hurry! (as Dave clumsily get on the top of the eagle, Balthazar fires a weak air blast on a scattered newspaper, sending it flying and blinds the train's operator before turning puppies back into pictures) *'Dave': Oh, no! (braces himself just as the steel eagle takes off out of the way, while Horvath does the same at the last moments once the spell wears off, dismayed that Dave had fled his grasp thanks to Balthazar) *(Escaping the wrath of former Merlinean, the majestic steel beast lands back at the observation deck of the Chrysler Building. Whereas Dave lands awkwardly with legs that felt like the rubber as he maintains his footing, Balthazar dismounts gracefully before petting the steel eagle's beak.) *'Dave': (looks back at both Balthazar and the eagle and turns away in denial) Oh… this is not happening. This is not happening. I taste sour in my mouth. *'Balthazar': Take it easy, Dave. Deep breaths. *'Dave': (sees the steel eagle returns to the corner of the building it came from and reverts to its original gargoyle form) What? Now that is not happening! *'Balthazar': (reaches for one of pigeons nearby and asks it as if the knows something he missed) What's wrong? What is it? *'Dave': No, no, no, no! You are not doing this to me again! Do you have any idea what my life has been like for the last 10 years? *'Balthazar': (sits while petting the pigeon) I've been stuck in an urn for the last 10 years. *'Dave': So, have I! A-a figurative urn of ridicule. Do you know that in certain parts of the tri-state area, they still refer to having a nervous breakdown as "pulling a David Stutler"? Did you know that?! *'Balthazar': Try to be a good listener, Dave. (Dave raises his hands in exasperation) That doll is called the Grimhold. It is a prison for the most dangerous Morganians in history, each one locked up in a layer of the doll. Horvath wants to free his fellow Morganians and destroy the world. This. Must. Not. Happen. *'Dave': (sarcastically) Yeah. For sure. *'Balthazar': (lets the pigeon go so it can fly away) The truth is, you have a very special gift. You need to see that. *'Dave': I just want to be normal. Normal life. I want to forget about that day at Arcana Cabana. I want to forget about magic. I want to forget everything. *'Balthazar': (discreetly summons Dragon Ring along with Dave's dresser where it kept at) You should duck. *'Dave': What? (his dresser unexpectedly lands right near its owner, startling him) *'Balthazar': You want to forget magic? (reaches for the Dragon Ring inside for Dave to show) Then why did you keep the ring? *'Dave': I... was going to sell that on eBay. *'Balthazar': You're still a bad liar, Dave. I like that about you. It's a good sign. You have the gift. *'Dave': (pleads) No, I have a life. *'Balthazar': You're the last person Horvath saw with the Grimhold. That puts you on his list. So, unless you want him to turn you into "a pig who just loves physics", then you better help me find that doll before he does. *'Dave': Uh… uh, this is crazy. You see how crazy this is, right? *'Balthazar': (nods) All right. All right. You help me get it back, you're done. *'Dave': Really? *'Balthazar': You can walk away. *'Dave': (considering the offer as he still cannot trust the sorcerer who unwittingly traumatized him as a kid before nods) Can you please put my dresser back? (sees Balthazar climbing up onto the neck of his steel eagle's gargoyle form after dismissing the dresser off-screen and holds out his arms in a spellcasting/ritual-like gesture) Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you... Oh, no, please don't do that! What are you doing? (Balthazar continues the spell while scanning the scenery of New York City until he and Dave spot a peculiar-looking storm cloud over what appeared to be the city's downtown) What? Whoa, what is that? *'Balthazar': It's my Grimhold tracking device. Biometric Pressure Spell displaces the atmosphere above the doll. Looks like downtown. *(A while later, Balthazar and Dave go for the city's auto impound, knowing the former's car had been brought there sometime during the Merlinean's 10 years absence.) *'Balthazar': If we can track the Grimhold, so can Horvath. *'Dave': So why don't we just take the eagle? *'Balthazar': Too high-profile for a trip downtown. (gives the impound attendant a paper before he and Dave stop in front of the Merlinean's car; a black 1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom which now covered in dust due to a decade of disuse) *'Impound Attendant': (catches up with Dave and Balthazar) I'll have to call you a tow. *'Balthazar': (raises his hand in reassurance) Won't be necessary. *'Impound Attendant': Yeah, but this car's been impounded for 10 years. *'Dave': (unimpressed upon seeing the car's unassuming condition as its owner enter it) This is low-profile? *'Balthazar': (gives the car's dash a wave of his hand that has his ring, bringing the car to life with a loud roar that clearly shows it magically restored to its peak state) She missed me. *(With that, they drive out of the lot and enter the streets. As they do, we see Balthazar have also restored the rest of the car as well: The dust that covered the whole vehicle being magically swept away as Balthazar floor the accelerator.) Chinatown Skirmish *(After a few minutes of silence, the Merlinean decided to teach Dave some basics of sorcery while en route for the downtown, aware with the chance for another confrontation with Horvath or worse, the former Merlinean had unsealed the yellow layer of the Grimhold as they speak.) *'Balthazar': I'm going to give you the basics. Strictly Sorcery 101. Put on the ring. *'Dave': (clearly plagued by his part in the incident at Arcana Cabana 10 years back) Uh... *'Balthazar': Nothing's going to happen. *'Dave': Yeah? (slips the Dragon Ring into his finger, which unexpectedly prompts Balthazar to swerve his car violently) Aaaahhh!!! *'Balthazar': Kidding. (Dave gives Balthazar a bummed look before turning away) You've heard how people use only 10% of their brains? (Dave nods) Sorcerers can manipulate matter because they're born with the capability to use the entire power of their brains. Which also explains why molecular physics comes so easily to you. (stops his car) *'Dave': So, wait. Is sorcery science or magic? *'Balthazar': Yes, and yes. For now, all you need is a basic combat spell: Making fire. (stops his car and shakes his head to tell Dave what he sees: A cop who is writing a ticket for a car parked nearby in front of them.) What causes molecules to heat up? *'Dave': They vibrate? *'Balthazar': Everything we see is in a constant state of vibration, thus the illusion of solidity. But how do we take that which appears solid and have it burst into flames? We will the vibrations to go faster. (unimpressed Dave nods sarcastically) Step one, (inhales) clear your mind. Step two, see the molecules... (points at the ticket while staring at it intently) Step three, make them shake! (splays his fist with his ring glowing intensely, shaking the ticket's molecules to the point of it overheats and burst into flames, prompting the cop to panic and try to fan it out) Got it? *'Dave': No! I definitely don't got it. *'Balthazar': Trust the ring, Dave. And keep it subtle. (begins to drive the Phantom away from the scene back to the Downtown) Civilians mustn't know magic exists. That would be complicated. *'Balthazar': (unimpressed) Says the guy in the 350-year-old rawhide trench coat. *(Horvath returns to the street where Arcana Cabana had been — the building is now a cellular phone sales establishment. As frustrated as he is, the former Merlinean knows he still able to find something there nevertheless as Dave's confession plays in his mind — one and only lead he gained from the science nerd.) *'Dave (echo)': I threw it in the street. It's been a long time. I don't actually know where it is. *'Horvath': (whispers Dave's first line in his mind to help him focus on residual information of his surroundings) I threw it in the street. (uses Psychic Vision to perceive the flashback of Arcana Cabana 10 years prior, presenting us with a rush of phantom images along with echoes of voices that can be heard at that time) *'Young Dave (echo)': Don't go in there! *'Bully # 1 (echo)': Ew! He peed his pants! *'Young Dave (echo)': The store's on fire! Don't go in! Those guys are... It's just water! There was a fire! *'Dave (echo)': (the flashback shows 9 years old Dave discarded the Grimhold in fear) I threw it in the street. *'Horvath': (frustrated that Dave's confession wasn't a poor lie all along) But where?! (scanning the flashback further, he sees an elderly Chinese woman takes the Grimhold away mere moments before the vision is interrupted by a bright light and a honking noise) *'Unnamed Driver': Get out of the way, freak! I need to pull in there! *'Horvath': Are you addressing me? *'Unnamed Driver': (sneers) Hey, don't mess with me. *'Horvath': (opens his coat to magically hurls two of his knives on the driver, one of which fatally skewers his head, killing him) Where was I? (recalling on the Chinese elderly and realizes where people like her can be found in New York City) Chinatown. *(Back to Balthazar and Dave, they have arrived at the Chinatown district in the city's downtown. A parade is taking up the middle of the street, with a paper dragon being carried around and dancing to the rhythm of live drum music. Entering the parade on foot, they see Balthazar's conjured cloud is hanging over the herbalist's shop. They have found where the Grimhold is.) *'Balthazar': This is it. I'll get the Grimhold. Keep an eye out for Horvath. *'Dave': (sighed as Balthazar entered the shop before noticing the curious Chinese couple approaching him) Hi. *(Cautiously entering the shop, Balthazar begins to scan things with his ring, oblivious to the presence of a suspicious-looking butterfly that seemingly flies away. He knows he won't find the Grimhold right away, but even if the doll wasn't hidden, he cannot afford to let it fall into wrong hands. Just then, the shop's proprietor, the elderly Chinese woman we saw in Horvath's psychic vision, shows up and greets the Merlinean) *'Chinese Woman': Can I help you? Do you have an appointment? *'Balthazar': I'm sorry to trouble you. I'm looking for a... Well, it's rather strange. (holding his hands about a foot apart to describe the Grimhold) It's a nesting doll. It's about this big. Angry-looking Chinese gentleman on the front. *'Chinese Woman': Nesting doll? (begins to look around the shop intently) Yes, it's possible. I collect so many objects. *'Balthazar': (speaks Cantonese upon sensing something off in the proprietor) Your hair is beautiful. *'Chinese Woman': (turns around in surprise and wonder) Ah, you speak Mandarin. *'Balthazar': Ah. (nods before sending the Chinese woman against the glass door with a point-blank air blast, shattering it before confronting her as she morphs into Horvath, who turned out has using her appearance as the template of his magical disguise) That was Cantonese, Horvath. The Grimhold. Where is it? *'Horvath': (as Sun Lok materializes from swarms of butterflies behind Balthazar near the shop's window before removing his robe) An old associate of mine speaks impeccable Cantonese. He lived about 200 years ago. Know him? Sun Lok. *'Sun Lok': (telekinetically gathers all the acupuncture needles in the shop) *'Horvath': Of course you do. You locked him inside the Grimhold. (shows Sun Lok's empty Grimhold layer) Whoops. Opened it. *'Sun Lok': (hurls all the needles against Balthazar just as he turns around, prompting the latter to use his coat as a shield against the projectiles. Being magically reinforced, the coat bounces off some of the needles, though the rest managed to stuck in albeit not piercing its wearer beneath.) *'Balthazar': (returns fire with an air blast, sending Sun Lok crashing out of the window and lands right beside Dave.) *'Dave': Whoa! Are you all right? Looks like... (sees Sun Lok standing up and turned much taller than him) Oh, what the... (the unsuspecting crowd begins to cheer over Sun Lok's stunt) Yay! I'm like one of them. *'Balthazar': (leans out the window) Dave? (Dave and Sun Lok turn back at the window where Balthazar is) You should run. *'Dave': Hehehe... (flees straight towards the paper dragon's direction) *'Sun Lok': (gestures his clawed fingers on the dragon emblazoned on his metal belt, bringing it to life and discreetly form a tether between it and the paper dragon. Gleaming scales begin to form around the paper dragon as it turns into an actual living, fire-breathing beast it modeled after.) *'Unnamed Paper Dragon Dancer': (speaks in Cantonese as he and his fellow dancers are being assimilated by the dragon to form legs for moving with) This thing's getting heavy! *'Dave': (accidently bumped into a Chinese pedestrian while fleeing) Sorry. Sorry. I'm sorry. (the pedestrian flees instead of giving a proper response for his apology which prompt him to turn around and see why: Sun Lok's newly formed dragon roars on his face, finally inciting the panic among the confused crowd.) *(Balthazar conjures a cloud of confetti out of a handful of ones in his hand, covering the entire scene so the public won't see too much magic and thus preventing the panic from further spreading. Sun Lok however, managed to spot the fleeing Dave entering a nearby barber shop and directed his dragon towards him, allowing his beast to continue the chase. Turning back into the shop, he finds Horvath had seemingly fled the scene, apparently through one of two doorways with beaded curtains as one of them is visibly swaying, as though it had been disturbed recently. The Merlinean goes after it, seemingly unaware with the diversion Horvath made to ambush him. Unfortunately for the former Merlinean, the plan backfires as the beads from the curtain near his hiding spot snake around his neck, strangling him and pulled him towards Balthazar.) *'Balthazar': Be still. (draws the rest of beads to restrain his former comrade, stripped him of his cane and retake the Grimhold from his coat before jumping out of the window Sun Lok crashed through earlier, much to Horvath's frustration) *'Dave': (screams as he dashed for the fire escape on the other side of the nearby window on the second floor. With Sun Lok's dragon hot on his trail, he scans the street in panic) Balthazar! (sees Sun Lok dispelled the surrounding confetti cloud, prompting him to aim his ring at the Asian Morganian knowing that he's controlling the beast.) *'Sun Lok': (smirks in amusement upon Dave's inability to cast magic against him despite his efforts) *'Dave': Oh, God. Come on. *'Balthazar': (reveals himself among the confetti cloud) You skipped the first step! Clear your mind! *'Dave': (nods) Skipped the first step. (interrupted by the dragon's fiery blast that he barely avoids) Clear my mind? Are you insane?! (Balthazar thinks for a moment, then holds up two pinched fingers to say "a little" much to his dismay) Little bit. *'Sun Lok': (having enough toying with Dave, gestures the dragon to burst out of the building, dangerously knocked a part of the fire escape which Balthazar immediately transmutes into more confetti cloud) *'Dave': Oh, man! *'Sun Lok': (gestures the dragon emblem on his belt to crawl into his skin, guiding the beast as it struggles to climb for its prey) *'Dave': (calming himself so he can focus on the very gift he initially rejected while his ring still aimed at Sun Lok) *'Balthazar': (sees what Dave is doing) This is it. Clear your mind. Believe. *'Dave': (successfully conjures a fireball which struck the tail of animated dragon emblem on Sun Lok's belt despite the knockback from his own magic, setting both the belt and the beast it linked with aflame.) *(Not taking any chances, Balthazar hurls a more powerful fireball against Sun Lok, melting his belt and further damaging his monstrous dragon. The helpless Asian Morganian is only able to brace himself as his burning, out-of-control beast fell on top of him and explodes into fiery explosion, killing its master and freeing all of unfortunate dragon dancers who had been assimilated into its form. As the bewildered dragon dancers looked around in confusion, Balthazar looks up at Dave who exclaimed excitedly over the success of his first spell) *'Dave': Yeah! (as Balthazar examines the Grimhold, which now only comprised of two layers) Go Team Magical Stuff! (excitedly exiting the building to see Balthazar on the streets) Did you see that? Did you see what I just did? *'Horvath': (looking out of the window after freed himself only to be shocked by the sight of Dave with Dragon Ring at hand) It can't be. *(Sirens echo throughout the street as two police cars arrived at the scene. Knowing that they must cover up the incident, Balthazar and Dave approach the cops, all while with the former magically disguised their appearance into police officer versions of themselves off screen when no one is looking, complete with convincing-looking uniform and moustaches. Their transformed appearance soon caught the attention of one of the officers who immediately inquired them about the situation) *'Unnamed Officer': Hey, what do you got? Did you see what happened here? *'Officer!Balthazar': You know what? Bottle rocket meets paper dragon in this Asian festival. (Dave reaches for his moustaches as Balthazar speaks) Lit it up like a birthday cake. *'Unnamed Officer': We got swamped with calls saying there was a real dragon. *'Officer!Balthazar': (laughs) Between you and me, Cap, I think some of these folks were "hitting the sake pretty hard". *'Officer!Dave': (hastily corrects Officer!Balthazar's account) Um, sake's Japanese, actually! *'Unnamed Officer': (an uneasy beat later) Carry on. *'Officer!Balthazar': (as he and Dave left the officers on their business) "Sake's Japanese"? *'Officer!Dave': (insists) Well, it is! *'Officer!Balthazar': (sighed) I was in character. *'Officer!Dave': (realizing that was not necessarily an error) Oh, right. *(As they enter the Phantom after dispelling the disguise, Balthazar decided to give Dave another test with him now having his first taste with magic.) *'Balthazar': (holds out his hand) You may now return the ring to me. *'Dave': (nods upon recalling their deal earlier) *'Balthazar': I'm a man of my word. You helped me, we're done. *'Dave': Right. Right. (considering his choice as he had learned that magic is not as bad as he believed to be) I'd like to learn some more. *'Balthazar': (smiles upon Dave's wise decision) We'll need a place to work. Somewhere under Horvath's radar. *'Dave': I think I can help with that. You Are My Apprentice *(The scene shifts to what appeared to be an empty tunnel as Dave guides Balthazar for a large steel door which leads to a metal stairway for a cavernous chamber – the very place Dave utilized as his personal lab for his tesla coils experiments.) *'Dave': This way was originally a subway turnaround. They let me work down here because some of my experiments skew a bit dangerous. (Balthazar placed the Grimhold on a nearby desk and placed a spell which renders the doll invisible while listening) Oh, my professor has a hookup so, nobody knows we're down here. *'Balthazar': (recalled on something) Oh, I didn't have a chance to give you this before. (takes a small book out of one of his pockets and shows it to Dave) Your Encantus. *'Dave': (confused) I remember it being bigger. *'Balthazar': Pocket edition. (unfolds the book 6 times, increasing its dimension through each fold while remains thin much to Dave's surprise) The Encantus is our textbook; the art and science and history of sorcery. Including our recent history as well. (places the book on Dave's hand before pulling what appeared to be invisible string, increasing its mass and thickness that the startled science nerd almost dropped it in that instance) *'Dave': Come on. *'Balthazar': (opens the latest entry of the tome, which shows portraits of those involved in Chinatown skirmish earlier along with written details of the fight) See? (points Dave's portrait with a rather not-so-impressive expression) There you are. *'Dave': Oh. *'Balthazar': (removing his scarf and coat) Before we can put Horvath back inside the Grimhold, we must first turn you into a sorcerer, which begins now. Step back. (begins to telekinetically move things to make a clear space in the middle of the lab) *'Dave': (protesting) I really was doing stuff. *'Balthazar': Eyes open. Mouth closed. *(Dave does as Balthazar asked, and the Merlinean begins his work. He first slowly raises his hands, gathering a large amount of energy which causes the lamps in the lab to flicker a few times. Once enough amount of energy has been accumulated, he then seemingly about to place both of his palms against one another before throwing them violently upwards causing phosphorescent flames to erupt from the concrete floor around him, startling Dave in process. Balthazar continues by carving small circles and lines inside the larger circle as the amazed Dave watches; each small circle bears an alchemical symbol. After he completed finishing touches on his work, we are introduced to the Merlineans' iconic magic circle; Merlin Circle.) *'Balthazar': This is the Merlin Circle. It focuses your energy. Helps you master new spells. It is where you will learn the Art. Step inside, you leave everything else behind. Once you enter, there is no going back. *'Dave': So, I should probably pee first? Better safe than... (Balthazar waits, prompting him to change his mind) I can hold it. (carefully steps into the circle, all while avoiding touching the flames until he reaches the center circle where Balthazar standing at) *'Balthazar': I am Balthazar Blake, sorcerer of the 777th degree, and you are my apprentice. *'Dave': (awestruck) Sweet. *(Sometime later, Dave begins the basics of sorcery with Balthazar with Dragon Ring equipped.) *'Balthazar': (raises his ring as part of the lecture) Your ring is not a piece of jewelry. It projects the electrical energy of your nervous system into the physical world. Without his ring, a sorcerer is powerless. The only other thing a sorcerer needs is a nice pair of pointy shoes. (tosses a pair of simple yet fancy-looking pointy shoes to Dave) Your rubber soles block the current. Plus, it helps to look classy. *'Dave': (unimpressed) These are old man shoes. *'Balthazar': (reveals that he wears an identical pair of his own) Excuse me? *'Dave': (awkwardly with a bit of sarcasm) I love them. A lot. *(Meanwhile, Horvath visits a local diner the unnamed Fry Cook working at. Despite his mundane appearance and occupation, he is implied to be secretly an agent who catalogues any living sorcerers in his territory and is on Morganian side; when he notices two fresh patties he just put onto the grill had a peculiar-looking pentagram burned into them, he recognizes them a Morgana Star, signature crucible and magic circle belonged to Morganians, and that a nearby Morganian is nearby to seek his assistance. We later see the fry cook and Horvath conversing outside the diner.) *'Fry Cook': (points at Horvath's cane) I haven't seen that cane since I saw a picture of it when I was a boy. You've been locked up a long time. *'Horvath': (sneers) And now I'm out. And I need soldiers. *'Fry Cook': I got one kid. He ain't old school. *'Horvath': (unimpressed, sensing that his only ally won't be like what he expected to be) One will do. Weapon of Choice *(On the next day, Dave continues his magical lesson with Balthazar. Knowing that today's lesson requires some safety gears, he wears a Catcher set comprised of a helmet and chest protector.) *'Balthazar': (holds a crackling, condensed sphere of hyper-charged matter on his hand) Your ingenuity and your heart will give you an advantage over Morganians. They rely only on the power of their magic. (Dave braces himself as the Merlinean walks towards him) But if you're up against the wall, there's only one weapon of choice: The plasma bolt. (hurls the sphere towards a nearby pile of papers, scorching them) *(We then presented to Dave's plasma bolt training montage. As impressive at it seemed, Balthazar turned out had made it look a lot easier than it was.) *'Dave': (struggles to conjure electrons around his palms to no avail that he stomps his feet a few times in the attempt before eventually gives up) Nothing. There's nothing. (manages to form a weak sphere few attempts later) I got it! I got one! I got one! (the sphere falls and disappears) That's underwhelming. (the weak sphere flies out of control in the next attempt) God! (the weak sphere comically backfires, bouncing off his helmet before flying away) *'Balthazar': Again. *'Dave': (the formed sphere rapidly hits off his helmet in humiliating manner) Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! (hurls the weak bolt in the next attempt only for it to disperse in mid-flight) *'Balthazar': (calmly reads a passage in the Encantus as Dave knocked backwards by the recoil of his own plasma bolts which then fly and bounce around the lab uncontrollably) ... and invite my soul... (one of the bolts fly past him) And again. *'Dave': (another bolt backfires, bouncing off his protected groin) See? That's what padding is for. (lifts the bottom of his chest protector to prove his point only for the bolt unexpectedly hits his now exposed groin before flying away, effectively knocked him to his knees) Oh! Drake Stone *(Horvath arrives at the address the fry cook had given him; a penthouse located on top of American Radiator Building. Entering the penthouse, he finds the Morganian's residence a lavish one, yet decorated in ostentatious and egotistical manner; huge, tacky paintings depicting the man he's looking for can be seen around the hall along with trophies for his achievements as a stage magician. In fact, other decorations such as an antique katana and a set of samurai armor in the hall looked pale in comparison. This all dismayed the former Merlinean even further, as his potential ally proved to be even worse than he expected to be. As he takes his time looking around the penthouse hall with contempt, Horvath can hear a British voice speaking in the other room.) *'Drake': (offscreen) So, out of a bath full of jewels, I'm going to emerge, right? And everyone's going to think I'm me. I reach into the big top hat and I pull myself out, but I'm a woman. A ball of fire, right, a baby sitting in a nappy, but I would like a tiger. If I could get, like, a tiger jumping out of a leopard. But not out of its mouth, that's been done, I'm sure, somewhere. *(We then presented to the sight of the owner of the penthouse; Drake Stone. A flamboyant, slender young sorcerer with white hair and goatee. He wears two rings; the magical one which skull-like and has tribal aesthetics and mundane one shaped after medieval knight's knee pad. The young man is having two female make-up artists painting his nails black while being accompanied by his two female agents and a bald bodyguard named Bob when Horvath entered his room) *'Drake': Gorgeous. Just perfect, darling. Yeah. Yeah, now, keep it straight up sinister. *'Horvath': (exasperated) Oh, do tell me this is a joke. *'Drake': (raises his head with his cohorts doing the same) Sorry, are you lost? *'Horvath': So, you're what passes for a Morganian these days. *'Drake': (points at Horvath while finally recognized the man before him and standing up to greet) Maxim Horvath! You are one smoking man of... *'Horvath': Will you excuse us, ladies? *'Drake': Yes, excuse us, ladies. Bob? (Drake's agents, bodyguard, and make-up artists leave the room) *'Horvath': (to the bald bodyguard) Bob. *'Drake': Sorry. *'Horvath': So, they tell me you're some kind of entertainer. *'Drake': Five sold-out shows at the Garden, plus back end on the pay-per-view. *'Horvath': (blasts Drake Stone's autobiography books with a small gust of wind without looking at its target, sending them flying) Did you ever see Morgana "pull a rabbit out of a hat"?! *'Drake': Look, my master disappeared when I was 15, vanished! Left me with nothing but an Encantus and some prescription-grade abandonment issues. So, I improvised. *'Horvath': (removing his hat) Well, the time for improvization is over. Balthazar Blake may have found the Prime Merlinean. *'Drake': He wears the ring? *'Horvath': (nods) Mmm. *(Back to Dave and Balthazar's lesson, it appears the former has improved his mastery over plasma bolt technique, or the training was suspended in favor of other tricks; we see him launches a fireball towards the Merlinean as the latter asked, in which Balthazar introduces a new spell to counter the incoming projectile.) *'Balthazar': (forms a sphere of vacuum to absorb the oncoming projectile with) The best way to defend against fire, Vacuum Sphere. (conjures his own fireball) Your turn. *'Dave': (about to argue upon realizing his mentor's risky approach, but forms his own Vacuum sphere anyway in reflex as soon as Balthazar hurls the fireball, stopping the projectile in that instance) I did it! I did it! *'Balthazar': (as Dave dispels both fireball and the sphere) Excellent. Excellent. Excellent. *'Dave': (indignantly) I just did that. *'Balthazar': (smiles, then decides to tease his apprentice) What's wrong with your Tesla coil? It seems to be firing on its own. (causes a nearby tesla coil to blast Dave with low rez plasma which knocks him off his feet along with other things nearby) *'Dave': (raises his point finger in annoyance) Really, really funny. *'Balthazar': This will be hilarious, then. (takes a sip of tea as another plasma blast hits Dave much to his dismay) *'Dave': Oh, my God! Dave and Becky Part 1 *(Later that night, Balthazar and Dave have a dinner break at a bench near subway station. The former is surprised to see him taking out four sandwiches from its paper bag.) *'Dave': Dude! *'Balthazar': Beg your pardon. I haven't eaten in 10 years. *'Dave': (looks back at Balthazar's situation) Yeah. Yeah, fair enough. *'Balthazar': You mind if I ask what's so special about this bench? (sees what Dave sees as he holds a pickle and exasperated; Becky walking out of the radio station) No, no, no. *'Dave': What? *'Balthazar': There's no time for that, and too much at stake. *'Dave': (pleads) That girl, she's the one, man. And you're my mentor, Balthazar. Aren't you supposed to help me to achieve my personal goals? *'Balthazar': (sarcastically) Yes! Yes! Except I'm not your mentor. I'm your master. And your master says if Horvath catches you out on the street, you'll die. (points at the direction where Becky goes with the pickle) Is she worth that? Think about it, Dave. *'Dave': (takes Balthazar's statements in consideration for a moment, before unexpectedly leaves albeit not without hesitate for a moment) And don't eat my sandwich. (catches up with Becky offscreen as the mixed Balthazar watches) Becky! What a coincidence. *'Becky': Oh, hey, Dave. *'Dave': Going uptown or... *'Becky': Are you stalking me? *'Dave': Not in a threatening way. *'Balthazar': Why was I even concerned? (chews his pickle) *'Dave': (As they step down the stairs for subway station) So, I listened to your show last night. *'Becky': What did you think? *'Dave': It was amazing. I've never actually heard of any of those bands, which I think is a good indicator that they're cool. *'Becky': I'm glad someone was listening. *'Dave': This may come as a surprise to you, I don't get up too much. *'Subway Mugger': (appears out of nowhere with a knife brandished on the hand) Give me the cash. Give it. Come on. Come on. Give me the bracelet. *'Becky': (terrified and hastily gives the mugger her bag) Okay, okay. *'Subway Mugger': (notices Becky's bracelet) Give me! (aggressively snatched the bracelet away and knocked both her and Dave) *'Dave': Hey, hey, hey. *'Becky': (indignantly) That was my grandmother's bracelet. (surprised to see Dave angrily after the mugger while equipping the Dragon Ring) No! Dave, don't! *'Dave': (magically disrupts the subway station's revolving gate, blocking the mugger's path before aiming his Ring at him) You just… you just give me that bracelet back, please. *'Subway Mugger': (brandishes his knife) You better run back to your girlfriend. *'Dave': (rolls his eyes in disbelief) Believe me, I wish she was... (realizes what the mugger just said) You thought she was my girlfriend? Really? Is that the kind of vibe you got? *'Subway Mugger': (unimpressed) You talk too much. Shut up. (Dave telekinetically lifts a nearby trash bin to threaten the mugger, only to awkwardly move the bin on the air as the confused goon watches and oblivious with the threat) What are you doing? *'Dave': I have no idea what you're referring to. I honestly... (face-palms upon accidently ignites the trash bin's contains) *'Subway Mugger': (turns around to see the floating trash bin that now in flames) Whoa! You seeing this? *'Dave': (sighed) Heads up. (gestures his ringed hand in pulling motion, knocking the mugger out with the smoking trash bin in a loud bang. He then rushed downstairs with Becky's necklace and bag secured on his hands just as two police officers rushed past him with Becky following behind) *'Unnamed Officer': Up the stairs! *'Becky': Are you okay? *'Dave': Yeah. Here you go. Uh, your grandmother's bracelet. (returns the necklace and bag) *'Becky': How did you do that? That guy was huge. *'Dave': (nods) I've been doing a lot of cardio boxing lately. Let me introduce Thunder, Lightning. (refers to his left and right hand respectively) *'Becky': (notices her train arrives and sighed in content despite his somewhat questionable account in his beating on the mugger earlier) Something about you seems different. *''Dave': I'm wearing new shoes. *'Becky': (''looks down at Dave's shoes) Nice. *''Dave': Thank you. (''notices the already arrived train) This your train? *'Becky': Yes. Thank you. *'Dave': I just want to tell you that if you want me to help you with your midterms, come by my lab. I'll text you the address. *'Becky': Yes, yes, that would be great. *'Dave': Yeah? *'Becky': By tomorrow? *'Dave': It's a date. (Becky raised an eyebrow, making him realized he was too hasty for it) No, no, no. It's not a date! It's a date like an appointment. (Becky turns away with amused and endearing smile over that awkward notion as the train leaves with her on board) No. A date like an appointment! (smiles knowing his love seemingly didn't take the date part seriously, oblivious to Balthazar standing behind him) *'Balthazar': Love is a distraction. Sorcery requires complete focus. Let's go, "Thunder and Lightning." There's more to learn. Battery Park Preparation *(On the next day, we see Horvath walking past the nearby Charging Bull Statue after he and Drake wandered the city a bit until they found just the spot the former Merlinean is looking for. His attention is skyward as he looks at the satellite dishes on the tops of the surrounding buildings. He turns to look down at Battery Park, the park in the center of said buildings. In addition of the Bull Statue, the park has a large circular fountain in the middle.) *'Horvath': This is perfect. The Rising will happen here. We'll use their satellite dishes on the rooftops. (points his cane at the dishes on the distance) There, and there, and there. Get it done. (turns to Drake only to be dismayed by the sight of him standing a little way off with a crowd of fans around him, clamoring for autographs.) *'Drake': (signing autographs for his fans) My "Best of" DVD drops next month. (notices the unimpressed Horvath who raises an eyebrow) Here we go. All right. Move. (shoves an oblivious kid aside and walks towards Horvath) Sorry about that. It's just nice for them to see a genuine icon like me. *'Horvath': (attempting to be sarcastic despite the evident venomous tone) Fortunately, they'll all be dead soon. And before that, we need to find the boy. *'Drake': (disheartened a bit upon realizing what will they do won't bode well for his fans, but nevertheless put the uneasiness aside) Well, how do we do that? *'Drake': (places a bewitched magnet that read three letters 'NYU' on the Bull Statue with a sly grin) We'll wait until he's alone. Dave and Becky Part 2 *(We see Balthazar reading a book while sitting on top of a chair suspended by Dave's telekinesis on the air. The same chair has two others orbiting around it.) *'Balthazar': Now, focus on control. Set me down slow and steady. (Dave struggles to do as the veteran Merlinean said, only to drop him along with the chairs upon being interrupted by loud knocks from the lab's metal door) *'Becky': (from the other side of the door) Dave? It's Becky. *'Dave': (looks at his wristwatch and realizes Becky has arrived as intended at that hour) I'll be back shortly. (rushes for the door while the bewildered Balthazar looks on) Could you please hide? Hide now. Please. *'Balthazar': (still sitting with the book still at hand) Dave, get back here. We have important work to do. *'Becky': Knock, knock. *'Dave': Yeah. (opens the steel door) Hi. *'Becky': Hi. We should go. A library, anyplace... *'Balthazar': Dave? Is that a company I hear? *'Dave': (sighed upon realizing he had to explain a thing or two to Becky over this) Yeah. Okay. Fine. Becky, this is my... *'Balthazar': (reluctantly tags along) Uncle. Uncle Balthazar. (to Dave) Hey, Dave, I'm confused. I thought you and I were staying in together. *'Becky': If this is a bad time, I can come back. *'Balthazar': Yes, actually. *'Dave': (to Balthazar) No. No. No. Uncle, you and I have plans for later on. (to Becky) Becky, let's just get out of here. *'Balthazar': You know what? (suddenly changes his mind much to Dave's awkward that he face-palms) It's all right, because I just remembered I have to go into town to pick up your anti-itch cream. So, you two stay here. (to Becky as he makes his leave) Pleasure to meet you. *(Turns out Balthazar returns to his old shop. To his dismay, a cellular phone store now stands on Arcana Cabana's place. Sneaking into the store, Balthazar quietly makes his way down to the basement, which is currently being used as a storage room. Fortunately, the secret compartment beneath the staircase remains untouched despite changes that have been made over the shop. Moving aside an old add sign, he parts a section of the wall with a wave of his hands, opening the compartment to retrieve an old doctor's bag within. Opening the bag, he takes out a rolled parchment to look at the schematic of very spell Veronica used against Morgana long ago. Returning the parchment, he checks on the other content; a fold up piece of velvet cloth containing an ornate bracelet and a beautiful necklace among a few other odds and ends. Unfolding the cloth, he examines the latter which holds greater sentiment than the former. Back to Dave's lab, we see Dave re-adjusting his coils' position back to where they were prior to Balthazar's arrival along with its wirings.) *'Dave': Okay, enough with the studying. There's something I want to show you. *'Becky': (looking at the coils) What are these things? *'Dave': (works on getting things hooked up to his safety cage) Tesla coils. I was using them to generate something called plasma. The thing is, I got so fixated on the technical aspects of it that I almost didn't notice something kind of beautiful. (enters his safety cage once everything is all set) I think you'd better step into my cage. *'Becky': (raises an eyebrow) Okay, it's definitely the first time anyone has said that to me. *'Dave': (Becky enters the cage) I'm not surprised. Just hold on to this bar, please. (Becky points as the bar in question) Both hands. (Becky does as he asked) Yep. Okay. (turns a switch to dim the lights before types a command into the computer while Becky waits in anticipation) Okay, hold on tight and uh… enjoy the show. *'Becky': (startled by bolts of electrical plasma leaping back and forth between fired up coils and the top of the cage around them, then awed upon realizing they make a mix of classical and funky music as they move) Oh, my gosh. How is this possible? *'Dave': The coils are firing at such a high frequency that the sparks literally create soundwaves as they fly through the air. Which is nerdy. (types a different code, changing the basic song to one he had been listening from Becky's latest radio show on the other day, a song titled Secrets by One Republic) *'Becky': (finally recognizes the coil's current song after listened closely) You were listening! I played this song the other night. *'Dave': These coils are my life. Two years I'm down here working with them, and they're making their own music and it was lost on me. I was never able to appreciate it until I met you and heard you talking about music on your radio show, and... I'm sappy. *(Becky smiles in content as she and Dave enjoyed the tesla music show. A while later, the two go for New York University where they stopped at the yoga class, the class Becky going to attend.) *'Becky': This is me. *'Dave': So, do you want to meet up later? 8:00? My lab? *'Becky': Yeah. Yeah, that would be great. *'Dave': With me? *'Becky': With you? Yes. *'Dave': Making sure. *'Becky': I got to... Yoga. *'Dave': Yeah, I've got to go to the bathroom. University Skirmish *(Sometime later, we see Dave enjoying himself in men's bathroom oblivious to Drake as the Morganian apprentice ominously enters.) *'Dave': (sings) ♪I got a date with a girl 'cause I'm awesome.♪ *'Drake': (leans against the wall cooly before addressing Dave) So, you're the one. *'Dave': (raises his head while zipping his pants) Excuse me? *'Drake': (walks towards Dave) Prime Merlinean, eh? You don't look like much. *'Dave': (confused) Uh, I don't actually know what you're talking about. *'Drake': (smirks) Cool. Makes this easy. (turns around and kicks his stylishly booted foot towards the hand dryers on the wall, turning them both on with a loud roar of air much to Dave's surprise) Can't have anyone hearing your girly cries, right? *'Dave': I... I don't actually know who you are. *'Drake': (stunned) Really, you don't recognize me? *'Dave': Are you in Depeche Mode? (Drake suddenly shoves him against and up the wall before magically hangs him there) What... What...?! *'Drake': What do you weighe, like a buck 20? (turns away in frustration) *'Dave': Whoa! What the... (raises his hand with a frustrated sigh) This is high school all over again. *'Drake': (snaps his finger to release the telekinetic binding, causing Dave to fall) All right, I tell you what. Hit me with your best shot, your most powerful spell. (spreads his arm to make himself an easy target to hit. Dave fumbles for the Dragon Ring in his bag and quickly equips it.) Get the ring out. Put it on. Good boy. *'Dave': Okay. (tries to hurl a spell against Drake only for nothing happens) *'Drake': Ow! (fakes being blast before shrugs) No, I'm joking. *'Dave': Nothing is happening. *'Drake': Have you cleared your mind? *'Dave': Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I got nothing happening. I'm new at this. The ring's on. *'Drake': (nods) That's nerves and it's the pressure. Take the ring off. *'Dave': Take off the ring? *'Drake': Take it off. *'Dave': Yeah, it doesn't help me — *'Horvath': (enters the bathroom in annoyance) Enough, you idiot. Watch the door. (Drake leaves to guard the door) *'Dave': (looks at Horvath in fear) You. (bolts for the door only to be pulled by Horvath's telekinesis back in) No! *'Horvath': Hello, Dave. *'Dave': (nervously) Hi. *'Horvath': So, Dave. (corners the science nerd against the wall) *'Dave': Oh, man. *'Horvath': (whispers deeply) I'm going to kill you. Oh, yes, right here in this dismal bathroom. It's not very classy, but there you go. But before we get to that unpleasantness, you're going to tell me where the Grimhold is. (changes his tone to calmer one) Where is she? *'Dave': (confused) She? *'Horvath': He hasn't told you, has he? The truth about who's inside the doll? (refers to someone else while looking away) Sweetheart, you've put your faith in the wrong man. (glances back at Dave) Tell me, have you ever been in love? *'Dave': I... *'Horvath': (smiles wickedly) Yeah. You're in love right now. I can see it in your eyes. No, no, no, no. Don't deny it. I wonder what would happen if you lost her. (silences Dave with his cane's diamond on the latter's mouth with a glare) Shut up. You'd be no better than the rest of us. (returns to the business) Where is the Grimhold? *'Dave': (hesitates for a moment before blurts out) I don't know. *'Horvath': (smiles sarcastically) Oh, Dave, you really are the most dreadful liar. *'Balthazar': (camera glances to reveal the veteran Merlinean with Drake suspended by his telekinesis) That's what I keep telling him. Want your guy back? (hurls Drake against Horvath, prompting the former Merlinean to evade with little time to hold Dave hostage or something, leaving the Morganian celebrity crashed against nearby lockers, damaging them) *'Dave': (grimaced by the sight of K.O.-ed Drake) Oh! *(A fight ensues as Balthazar places his ringed hand against nearby mirror to booby-trap it with a spell before engaging his nemesis in a brief physical brawl. Grabbing Horvath by his coat, Balthazar attempts to wrestle him against the bewitched mirror.) *'Horvath': (in a mix of contempt and shock upon recognizing the mirror's enchantment) It's been a while since I've seen the Hungarian Mirror Trap. (slams the back of his head against Balthazar and hits him with his cane before trying to push the Merlinean against his own spell) *'Balthazar': I guess I'm just old-fashioned. (another physical brawl before he and Horvath attempting to push either of them into the mirror) *'Dave': (sees Drake already returned to his feet and about to hurl an air blast) Balthazar, look out! *'Balthazar': (moves out of the way, leaving Horvath got blasted into the mirror and disappears. He then flicked his fingers to send Drake into stall No. 2 with a loud crash, again startles Dave. After making sure Dave is unharmed, he addressed the science nerd) What are you doing here, Dave? Prime Merlinean *(Balthazar and Dave returns to the latter's workshop) *'Dave': Horvath was trying to kill me. *'Balthazar': His moral compass doesn't exactly point north. *'Dave': Yeah, well, what about yours? Huh? (Balthazar stops) You haven't been completely truthful with me. That guy called me the Prime Merlinean. Balthazar, what is that? Now, I'm not doing anything else until you start being truthful with me about what's going on. Who is in that Grimhold? *'Balthazar': (after a silent consideration) Morgana. *(Back to men's bathroom in New York University, Horvath, who trapped in the mirror, knocks to gain the attention of the dark-skinned student who just enters) *'Horvath': Wake up that moron in stall number three for me, would you? (the students faints) Oh, for heaven's sake. Cleaning Storm ? Dave and Becky Part 3 ? Incredible Car Chase ? Dave's Resolve ? Parasite Spell ? Confrontation at Drake's Penthouse ? The Rising ? Battle at Battery Park ? Epilogue: Dave's Happy Ending for Balthazar and Veronica ? The End...? Category:Content